Genetic diversity of bovine viral diarrhea viruses from the Galicia region of Spain

This study examined the frequency and diversity of bovine viral diarrhoea viruses (BVDVs) infecting cattle in Galicia (northwestern Spain). A total of 86 BVDV strains were typed in samples of serum from 79 persistently infected animals and 3 viraemic animals and of abomasal fluid from 4 fetuses. Samples came from 73 farms participating in a voluntary BVDV control programme. Typing was based on a 288-bp sequence from the 5′ untranslated region amplified using primers 324 and 326. Of the 86 strains, 85 (98.8 per cent) belonged to species BVDV-1 and 1 (1.2 per cent) belonged to BVDV-2; 73 strains (84.9 per cent) were typed as BVDV-1b, 2 as BVDV-1e and 6 as BVDV-1d. One strain each was typed as belonging to 1a, 1h, 1k and 1l. The sole BVDV-2 strain was classified as 2a. These results identify BVDV-1b as the predominant species, and they indicate the presence of viral types not previously described anywhere in Spain. This is also the first report of BVDV-2 in Galicia and only the second report of BVDV-2 in Spain.